Collapsible projection screen

ABSTRACT

A collapsible projection screen structure comprising an elongate standard, a screen support adjustable along the standard, a screen casing pivotally mounted on the support for movement between upright and horizontal positions, a rolled screen in the casing, an extensible rod on the upper end of the standard for holding the upper end of the screen extended and for holding the upper end of the casing in storage, a stop lug on the standard for limiting downward movement of the support, detent means on the support engageable with the stop lug for defining a storage position of the support on the standard, and means mounting the detent means on the support for bypassing the stop lug to selectively lower the screen for viewing.

United States Patent [111 3,841,594 Zinn Oct. 15, 1974 COLLAPSIBLEPROJECTION SCREEN [75] Inventor: Robert W. Zinn, Addison, Ill. [73]Assignee: Knox Manufacturing Company,

Wood Dale, Ill.

22 Filed: May 18, 1973 I21] Appl. No: 361,853

[511 int. Cl. G03b 21/56 [58] Field of Search 248/169, 171, 409; 160/24,160/351 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,700,637 1/1929Lamb 160/24 UX 2,335,884 12/1943 Raven 160/24 2,355,799 8/1944 Heck160/24 2,361,119 10/1944 Owens 160/24 3,164,349 l/1965 Armstrong.....160/351 UX 3,182,714 5/1965 Petrick 160/24 3,629,910 12/1971 Kirberg160/24 X Primary Examiner.1. Franklin Foss Attorney, Agent, orFirm1-1ofgre:n, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT Acollapsible projection screen structure comprising an elongate standard,a screen support adjustable along the standard, a screen casingpivotally mounted on the support for movement between upright andhorizontal positions, a rolled screen in the casing, an extensible rodon the upper end of the standard for holding the upper end of the screenextended and for holding the upper end of the casing in storage, a stoplug on the standard for limiting downward movement of the support,detent means on the support engageable with the stop lug for defining astorage position of the support on the standard, and means mounting thedetent means on the support for bypassing the stop lug to selectivelylower the screen for viewing.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENIEBHEI 1 51914 3.841.594

SHEET 10F 2 1 COLLAPSIBLE PROJECTION SCREEN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a collapsible projection screen structureincluding an elongate standard carrying an adjustable screen supportwith a screen casing pivotally mounted thereon for movement between anupright storage position parallel to the standard and a horizontalposition transverse to the standard where a rolled screen may beextended to a viewing position in an upright plane.

In collapsible screen structures of the type described, it is desirableto provide for vertical adjustment of the screen support on the uprightstandard and for retention of the support in adjusted positions on thestandard. Prior art efforts have been devoted to provision of suchfeatures as shown, for example, in prior US. Pat. Nos. 1,700,637;2,335,884; 2,361,119 and 3,182,714. Generally speaking, theconstructions in the aforementioned patents provide for verticaladjustment of a screen support over a wide range of the length of thestandard.

Other prior art constructions have included a centering stop on thestandard engageable with the screen support for limiting downwardmovement of the support on the standard at a position where the screencasing will be properly located in vertical position parallel to thestandard for storage, as shown in prior US. Pat. Nos. 2,832,405 and3,164,348, for example. While it is desirable to provide a centeringstop on the standard for locating the screen support in proper positionfor collapse and storage of the structure, it is sometimes desirable topermit adjustment of the screen support below the level of the centeringstop for purposes of lowering the screen to a viewing positioncompatible with projection equipment utilized therewith.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a general object of the present inventionto provide a new and improved collapsible projection screen structureincluding an upright standard, a screen support vertically adjustable onthe standard, a centering stop on the standard normally effective forlimiting downward movement of the screen support at a storage position,detent means on the support engageable with the stop, together withmeans mounting the detent means on the standard to be manipulated pastthe centering stop for lowering the screen to an appropriate viewingposition.

A more specific object is to provide a new and improved projectionscreen structure of the type described, including an elongate standard,a screen support adjustable along the standard, a screen casing mountedon the screen support, a rolled screen in the casing, detent means forholding the support in adjusted positions on the standard, stop means onthe standard engageable with the detent means for limiting downwardmovement of the support, and means mounting the dtent means on thesupport for manipulation past the stop means to selectively lower thesupport below the stop means.

Preferably, the detent means for holding the screen support in adjustedpositions on the standard comprises a plate having one end pivotallymounted on the support. an intermediate portion having an oversizeaperture receiving the standard, a manually accessible end,

' spring means resiliently urging the plate against the standard.

In a preferred construction illustrated herein, the screen supportcomprises a U-shaped bracket having spaced upper and lower aperturedflanges slidably mounted on the standad, the stop means on the standardcomprises a lug engageable with the detent plate, and the aperture inthe detent plate is elongated in a front-to-rear direction to permit theplate to be manipulated past the stop lug.

As illustrated herein, both apertures in the screen support bracket havea cross-sectional area to fit the standard, and the bracket normallyassumes an adjusted position on the standard with the flanges of thebracket biting the standard. Both apertures include a recess to pass thestop lug.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of acollapsible projection screen structure embodying the principles of thepresent invention, with the leg assembly in closed position and thescreen casing in storage position parallel to the standard;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the screen structure with the legassembly in supporting position, with the screen casing in horizontalposition, and with the screen in extended viewing position;

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2 with the screen support lowered past thecentering stop to a lowermost position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the upper end ofthe standard, partly in section, illustrating the means for retainingthe extensible rod in adjusted positions in the standard;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken at about the line 5-5 ofFIG. 4; i

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken atabout the line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken at about theline7-7 of FIG. 6 illustrating the screen support in contact with thecentering stop on the upright standard;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken at about the line 88 of FIG.7; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but with the screen supportmanipulated in a manner to move downwardly past the centering stop onthe standard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodimentillustrated, and referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a standard 12is adapted for support in upright position by a collapsible tripod legassembly, generally designated 13. The standard carries a screen supportmember generally designated 14 which is slidably mounted on the standard12 and provided with a latching member 15 for holding the screen screen17 may be extended to a viewing position in an upright plane.

The standard 12 is a tubular member having a telescoping rod 18 slidablyreceived and appropriately guided therein. The telescoping rod 18 isvertically adjustable and held in adjusted positions by a conventionalclamping member 21 located near the upper end of the standard 12. Theclamping member is'preferably biased by a spring member 21a so that itis normally held in clamping position and must be manually released topermit adjustment of the telescoping rod 18. The upper end of the rod 18carries a bail support 22 from which the free upper end of theprojection screen may be hung in a conventional manner. The bail support22 is provided with a depending lug 23 of a size to fit within a well inthe end of the casing 16 to hold the casing 16 in its carrying positionparallel to the standard, as shown in FIG. 1.

The leg assembly 13 is provided with an upper collar 28 which slidablyembraces the lower end portion of the tubular standard 12 and with alower collar 30 which is fixedly secured adjacent the lower end of thetubular standard 12. The upper collar 28 is provided with three pairs ofangularly spaced ears 3], and the lower collar 30 is likewise providedwith three pairs of ears 32 angularly spaced about the lower collar 30in a manner similar to the spacing of ears 31 on the upper collar 28.

A channel-shaped leg member 33 is swingably secured to each pair of cars31 by a rivet 34. A channelshaped bracing link 35 is similarly pivotallysecured at one end to each pair of ears 32 on the lower collar 30 byrivet 36. The opposite end of each of the bracing links 35 is pivotallysecured to an intermediate portion of its associated leg member 33 by arivet 37.

When the leg assembly 13 is swung toward closed position adjacent thestandard 12, the slidable upper collar 28 moves upwardly on the standard12 (FIG. 1), and the leg members 33 and bracing links 35 swing inwardlyabout the pivot connections afforded by the rivets 34, 36 and 37. Inreverse fashion, when the leg assembly 13 is moved to extendedsupporting position, the upper collar 28 slides downwardly upon thestandard 12 (FIGS. 2 and and the leg members 33 and bracing links 35pivot outwardly.

The details of the leg assembly form no part of the present inventionand need not be described completely. If desired, the leg assembly maybe similar to that in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,164,348, forexample. wherein spring means associated with the leg assembly 13 causesthe leg assembly to be yieldably held in closed position adjacent thestandard (FIG. 1), and yieldably held in the outwardly spread supportingposition (FIG. 2).

As best illustrated in FIGS. 6-9, the screen support member 14 comprisesa U-shaped bracket including spaced upper and lower horizontallydirected flanges 50 and 51 which are provided respectively with alignedapertures 52 and 53 receving the tubular standard 12 so that the screensupport bracket 14 is vertically slidable adjustable on the standard. Asillustrated, the standard 12 is substantially square in cross-sectionalconfiguration, and the apertures 52 and 53 in the screen support bracket14 are generally square and closely fit the standard so that the bracket14 may slide relative to the standard 12. The free ends of the bracketflanges 50 and 51 are connected by a handle member 55 having upper andlower ends respectively connected to the flanges 50 and 51.

The latching member 15 is in the form of a plate which has one endpivotally mounted at 56 on the front of the screen support bracket 14.The plate 15 includes an intermediate portion which has an aperture 57which is enlarged relative to the standard 12 through which the standard12 passes. The opposite end of the plate 15 is biased downwardly by acoiled compression spring 58 acting between the flange 50 and the plate15 to urge the latter against the standard 12 so that the edges of theplate adjacent the aperture bite into the standard.

In operation, the weight of the screen casing 16 and the screen 17 onthe front of the screen support bracket 14 tend to tilt the upperportion of the bracket forwardly and the lower portion of the bracketrearwardly,

as shown in FIG. 9, so that the lower flange 51 bites into the front ofthe standard 12 and the upper flange 50 bites into the rear of thestandard 12. Together with such action, the latching plate 15 is biasedby spring 58 toward the inclined position illustrated in FIG. 9 wherethe plate bites into the front and rear surfaces of the standard 12. Asa result, the screen support 14 will be held in selected verticallyadjusted positions for purposes of locating the lower portion of thescreen appropriately for viewing. The support 14 may be verticallyadjusted on the standard 12 by grasping the handle 55 in a manner topivot the latch 15 in a direction to compress the spring 58 such thatthe latch is released from the standard 12. Under these circumstances,the screen support 14 may be raised or lowered on the standard 12 Asseen in FIGS. 7 and 9, the standard 12 includs a stop lug 59 on the rearthereof engageable with the detent plate 15 at a position suitable forcentering the screen support 14 on the standard at a position where thecasing 16 will be appropriately located for storage when disposedparallel to the standard as illustrated in FIG. 1. In such position, thescreen casing is positioned so that the upper end may be held by theprojection 23 against pivotal movement relative to the standard. At thesame time, the lower end of the casing is slightly elevated above thefloor so that the legs 33 support the entire structure. The centeringstop 59 is convenient for expediting collapse of the structure, in thatit normally functions to define a lower limit to which the screensupport 14 should be moved for storage.

It sometimes becomes desirable to lower the screen support 14 below thelevel of the centering stop 59, so that the lower portion of the screenin extended operative position may be disposed low enough toaccojmmodate a picture projected from a particular projection aparatuswhich might not conveniently permit elevation of the image. According tothe present invention, the latch plate 15 is mounted in a manner to bemanipulated past the centering stop 59 so that the bracket may belowered as desired. In order to facilitate such manipulation, thesupport flanges 50 and 51 are recessed as at 60 adjacent the rear ofapertures 52 and 53 sufficient to permit each of the flanges 51 and 50to be moved past stop 59. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the plate 15 isalso recessed at 62 adjacent the rear of plate aperture 57, in a mannerto allow the plate 15 to pass the stop 59, when the plate is compressedtoward the portion illustrated in FIG. 11. The width of the recess 62 inthe latch plate 15 is less than the width of recess 57,

so that laterally extending edges as at 63 are engageable with thestandard for retaining the support in adjusted positions. Similarly, thewidth of recess 60 in flange 50 is less than the width of apertures 52so that edges 64 are engageable with the standard.

The construction described, with stop 59, facilitates collapse of thestructure expeditiously by movement of latch plate against stop 59,while also permitting adjustment of the screen below the stop if thatbecomes desirable in situations where the image cannot be elevated forprojection to the screen when positioned above stop 59.

I claim:

1. A projection screen structure, comprising,

a. an elongate standard,

b. a screen support adjustable along an intermediate portion of thestandard,

c. a screen casing mounted on the screen support,

d. a rolled screen in the casing,

e. a hanger on the upper end of the standard,

f. a latch on the screen support for holding the support in adjustedpositions on the standard,

g. a stop lug on the standard normally engageable with the latch forlimiting downward movement of the support at a position defining astorage position of the support on the standard,

h. means mounting the support on the standard for bypassing the stoplug, and

i. means mounting the latch on the support for selectively bypassing thestop lug to lower the support past the stop lug.

2. A projection screen structure as defined in claim 1, wherein thescreen support comprises a bracket having spaced upper and lowerapertured flanges slidably mounted on the standard.

3. A projection screen structure as defined in claim 2, wherein thestandard is rectangular in cross section and the screen support bracketflanges have rectangular apertures slidably receiving the standard andrecesses for clearing the stop lug.

4. A collapsible projection screen structure as defined in claim 2,wherein the latch for holding the screen support bracket in adjustedpositions on the standard comprises a plate having one end pivotallymounted on the bracket, an intermediate portion having an oversizeaperture receiving the standard, a manually accessible opposite end, andspring means resiliently urging the plate against the standard.

5. A projection screen structure as defined in claim 4, wherein thepivoted plate has a recess for clearing the stop lug.

6. A collapsible projection screen structure, comprising,

a. an elongate standard,

b. a screen support bracket having spaced flanges with aperturesslidably receiving an intermediate portion of the standard foradjustment of the bracket along the standard,

0. a releasable latch on the bracket engageable with the standard forholding the bracket in canted position biting the standard,

d. a tubular screen casing mounted on the screen support for movementbetween an upright storage position parallel to the standard and ahorizontal position transverse to the standard,

e. a rolled screen in the casing extensible from the casingin an uprightplane when the casing is horizontally disposed,

f. an extensible rod on the upper end of the standard for holding theupper end of the screen in extended position and for holding the upperend of the casing in storage position,

g. releasable clamp means on the standard for holding the rod inadjusted positions,

h. a stop lug on the rear of the standard normally engageable with thelatch on downward movement of the bracket to limit downward movement ofthe bracket at a position defining a storage position of the bracket,

i. the apertures in said bracket flanges being shaped to pass the stoplug for movement of the screen to a lower position for viewing, and

j. the latch being shaped with a recess for selectively bypassing thestop lug.

7. A collapsible projection screen structure as defined in claim 6,wherein the releasable latch on the bracket for holding the bracket onthe standard comprises a plate having one end pivotally mounted on thefront of the bracket, an intermediate portion having an oversizeaperture receiving the standard, and an opposite end manually accessibleadjacent the handle for manipulation, and spring means resilientlyacting between the upper bracket flange and said opposite end of theplate to bias such end downwardly to engage the plate with the standard.

8. A collapsible projection screen structure as defined in claim 7,wherein the latch plate is recessed at the rear of the oversize apertureto pass the stop lug. I 9. A collapsible projection screen structure,comprising,

a. an elongate standard,

b. a collapsible leg structure on the lower end of the standard forsupporting the standard in upright position,

c. a screen support bracket having spaced flanges with aperturesslidably receiving an intermediate portion of the standard foradjustment of the bracket along the standard,

d. a handle on the screen support bracket,

6. a releasable latch on the bracket engageable with the standard forholding the bracket in canted position biting the standard,

f. a tubular screen casing pivotally mounted on the screen support forswinging movement between an upright storage position parallel to thestandard and a horizontal position transverse to the standard,

g. a rolled screen in the casing extensible from the casing in anupright plane when the casing is horizontally disposed,

h. an extensible rod on the upper end of the standard for holding theupper end of the screen in extended position and for holding the upperend of the casing in storage position,

i. releasable clamp means on the standard for holding the rod inadjusted positions,

j. a stop lug on the rear of the standard normally engageable with thelatch on downward movement of the bracket to limit downward movement ofthe bracket at a position defining a storage position of the bracket,

k. said bracket flanges being recessed at the rear of the aperturestherein to pass the stop lug for move ment of the screen to a lowerposition for viewing, and

l. the latch being apertured to selectively bypass the stop lug.

1. A projection screen structure, comprising, a. an elongate standard,b. a screen support adjustable along an intermediate portion of thestandard, c. a screen casing mounted on the screen support, d. a rolledscreen in the casing, e. a hanger on the upper end of the standard, f. alatch on the screen support for holding the support in adjustedpositions on the standard, g. a stop lug on the standard normallyengageable with the latch for limiting downward movement of the supportat a position defining a storage position of the support on thestandard, h. means mounting the support on the standard for bypassingthe stop lug, and i. means mounting the latch on the support forselectively bypassing the stop lug to lower the support past the stoplug.
 2. A projection screen structure as defined in claim 1, wherein thescreen support comprises a bracket having spaced upper and lowerapertured flanges slidably mounted on the standard.
 3. A projectionscreen structure as defined in claim 2, wherein the standard isrectangular in cross section and the screen support bracket flanges haverectangular apertures slidably receiving the standard and recesses forclearing the stop lug.
 4. A collapsible projection screen structure asdefined in claim 2, wherein the latch for holding the screen supportbracket in adjusted positions on the standard comprises a plate havingone end pivotally mounted on the bracket, an intermediate portion havingan oversize aperture receiving the standard, a manually accessibleopposite end, and spring means resiliently urging the plate against thestandard.
 5. A projection screen structure as defined in claim 4,wherein the pivoted plate has a recess for clearing the stop lug.
 6. Acollapsible projection screen structure, comprising, a. an elongatestandard, b. a screen support bracket having spaced flanges withapertures slidably receiving an intermediate portion of the standard foradjustment of the bracket along the standard, c. a releasable latch onthe bracket engageable with the standard for holding the bracket incanted position biting the standard, d. a tubular screen casing mountedon the screen support for movement between an upright storage positionparallel to the standard and a horizontal position transverse to thestandard, e. a rolled screen in the casing extensible from the casing inan upright plane when the casing is horizontally disposed, f. anextensible rod on the upper end of the standard for holding the upperend of the screen in extended position and for holding the upper end ofthe casing in storage position, g. releasable clamp means on thestandard for holding the rod in adjusted positions, h. a stop lug on therear of the standard normally engageable with the latch on downwardmovement of the bracket to limit downward movement of the bracket at aposition defining a storage position of the bracket, i. the apertures insaid bracket flanges being shaped to pass the stop lug for movement ofthe screen to a lower position for viewing, and j. the latch beingshaped with a recess for selectively bypassing the stop lug.
 7. Acollapsible projection screen structure as defined in claim 6, whereinthe releasable latch on the bracket for holding the bracket on thestandard comprises a plate having one end pivotally mounted on the frontof the bracket, an intermediate portion having an oversize aperturereceiving the standard, and an opposite end manually accessible adjacentthe handle for manipulation, and spring means resiliently acting betweenthe upper bracket flange and said opposite end of the plate to bias suchend downwardly to engage the plate with the standard.
 8. A collapsibleprojection screen structure as defined in claim 7, wherein the latchplate is recessed at the rear of the oversize aperture to pass the stoplug.
 9. A collapsible projection screen structure, comprising, a. anelongate standard, b. a collapsible leg structure on the lower end ofthe standard for supporting the standard in upright position, c. ascreen support bracket having spaced flanges with apertures slidablyreceiving an intermediate portion of the standard for adjustment of thebracket along the standard, d. a handle on the screen support bracket,e. a releasable latch on the bracket engageable with the standard forholding the bracket in canted position biting the standard, f. a tubularscreen casing pivotally mounted on the screen support for swingingmovement between an upright storage position parallel to the standardand a horizontal position transverse to the standard, g. a rolled screenin the casing extensible from the casing in an upright plane when thecasing Is horizontally disposed, h. an extensible rod on the upper endof the standard for holding the upper end of the screen in extendedposition and for holding the upper end of the casing in storageposition, i. releasable clamp means on the standard for holding the rodin adjusted positions, j. a stop lug on the rear of the standardnormally engageable with the latch on downward movement of the bracketto limit downward movement of the bracket at a position defining astorage position of the bracket, k. said bracket flanges being recessedat the rear of the apertures therein to pass the stop lug for movementof the screen to a lower position for viewing, and l. the latch beingapertured to selectively bypass the stop lug.